Now, just months after President Trump issued a new Executive Order on healthcare pricing transparency, the federal government is signaling that stronger enforcement and clearer expectations are coming.
On May 10, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury jointly released new guidance and Requests for Information (RFIs) that aim to increase enforcement and gather feedback to inform future rulemaking. These actions reinforce priorities laid out in EO 14221 and suggest that price transparency will be a renewed area of focus across hospitals, health plans, and prescription drugs.
Key Updates Include:
This new guidance and accompanying RFI underscore a continuing federal focus on price transparency as well as suggest a deliberate effort to refine and build upon earlier policies. So, does this impact any new stakeholders? What’s evolving from past policy?
Stakeholders already subject to the Hospital Price Transparency rule or Transparency in Coverage (TiC) regulations are still on the hook, but may see increased expectations in terms of completeness and presentation of pricing data. While these updates may require adjustments, they also present opportunities. Entities that develop consumer-facing tools, for example, may be better positioned to use this data to support more accurate cost estimates, assist with payer-provider contract negotiations, and inform revenue cycle operations.
As with any evolving policy initiative, changes may be interpreted and implemented in different ways, which could lead to outcomes that weren’t originally anticipated. While many recognize the value in price transparency as a tool to support more informed care planning, others emphasize that creating a competitive market in healthcare could have negative impacts. One potential area to monitor is whether an increased focus on pricing might inadvertently shift provider attention away from quality care, especially if incentives and transparency in quality data are not well aligned.
Following the shifts and implications discussed above, it’s important to reflect on how the industry can proactively engage with the current RFI. This is a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to share feedback based on lived experience with the policies to date—what’s worked, where gaps remain, and what improvements could help advance the goals of transparency more effectively.
As noted earlier, price transparency policy touches nearly every corner of the healthcare system. While early efforts emphasized providing raw pricing data directly to patients, it has become increasingly evident that third-party developers often play a more central role in translating this data into usable tools, whether for generating cost estimates, supporting revenue cycle operations, or informing payer-provider negotiations.
Payer and provider organizations have voiced concerns in past responses, such as those from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and AHIP. These groups have generally supported the spirit of transparency while cautioning against overly prescriptive requirements or fragmented reporting structures. Themes like regulatory alignment, clarity around data exchange expectations, and operational feasibility continue to surface in these responses and remain highly relevant as the current RFI is considered.
In responding to this RFI, stakeholders may want to focus on a few key areas:
While new formats, data elements, and adjustments will create work for payers and providers, there’s a broader opportunity here. Greater consistency in how prices for drugs, items, and services are communicated can ultimately support improved patient care and reduce friction throughout the healthcare system.
This RFI, along with others released in recent months, presents a rare window to help shape federal policy in a way that is both practical and purposeful. Whether your organization is navigating compliance, exploring strategic uses of transparency data, or contributing to industry conversations on what comes next, now is the time to get involved.
The comment period is open. Let’s use it.
POCP can help you understand how this latest RFI fits into the broader regulatory landscape and what it might mean for your business model. We support clients in drafting thoughtful RFI responses, identifying opportunities to align operations with upcoming expectations, and setting a strategy that leads to strategic compliance—not just box-checking.
We’re also tracking several other RFIs released this spring that touch on key areas like data governance, consent, and interoperability. If you're feeling overwhelmed by it all, let’s talk.